12 JUNE 2003 | Alan B. Dalton*, Steve Collins*, Edgar Munoz*, Joselito M. Razal*, Von Howard Ebron*, John P. Ferraris*, Jonathan N. Coleman†, Bog G. Kim*, Ray H. Baughman*
This section describes the development of super-tough carbon-nanotube (CNT) fibers that can be woven into electronic textiles. The fibers are produced using a modified coagulation-based spinning method, which involves injecting a solution of surfactant-dispersed single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) into a rotating bath of polyvinyl alcohol. The fibers are then washed and pulled to form solid CNT composites. These fibers exhibit exceptional mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 1.8 gigapascals (GPa), comparable to spider silk, and a toughness that is seven times higher than previously reported coagulation-spun nanotube fibers. The fibers are also highly stable during deformation, with no measurable fiber necking, and their toughness is attributed to the amorphous polyvinyl alcohol coating on the nanotubes. The fibers are used to create supercapacitors that can be woven into textiles, offering potential applications in distributed sensors, electronic interconnects, electromagnetic shields, antennas, and batteries.This section describes the development of super-tough carbon-nanotube (CNT) fibers that can be woven into electronic textiles. The fibers are produced using a modified coagulation-based spinning method, which involves injecting a solution of surfactant-dispersed single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) into a rotating bath of polyvinyl alcohol. The fibers are then washed and pulled to form solid CNT composites. These fibers exhibit exceptional mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 1.8 gigapascals (GPa), comparable to spider silk, and a toughness that is seven times higher than previously reported coagulation-spun nanotube fibers. The fibers are also highly stable during deformation, with no measurable fiber necking, and their toughness is attributed to the amorphous polyvinyl alcohol coating on the nanotubes. The fibers are used to create supercapacitors that can be woven into textiles, offering potential applications in distributed sensors, electronic interconnects, electromagnetic shields, antennas, and batteries.